“Russia and Ukraine are changing “captured trucks””

28.02.2016

Transit conflict between Russia and Ukraine enters a new phase. Kiev made the first step towards reconciliation and agreed to allow all detainees in Ukraine, the trucks with Russian numbers to return home to Russia – in exchange for similar actions of Moscow against the Ukrainian carriers. It seems that Ukraine became more aware of the consequences this confrontation.

Automotive the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have recently threatened to escalate into a real transit war. After the Ukrainian radicals illegally blocked the movement of the Russian trucks on Ukrainian territory (in 10 the Western regions of the country), Russia from 16 February introduced a complete ban on the Ukrainian transit of trucks through the territory of Russia. Under the ban came also the transit of trucks carrying cargo to Kazakhstan.

On such a return of Russia had to go because of the organized Ukrainian nationalist blockade of Russian trucks, which began at the end of last week. Last Friday the Russian radicals blocked the vehicles passage to Europe through the Western border of Ukraine. Russia began to use the Ukrainian transit as a back-up, after the conflict with Poland and the closure of traditional transit route to the EU. Nationalists blocked the remaining routes for Russian motorists, helping Poland in its pressure on Moscow.

Interesting the position of official Kiev. As in the situation with blocking of the radicals of goods in the Crimea, the Kiev authorities have stepped back from the problem. They did not prevent the Ukrainian radicals to repair the mess on the roads, the traffic police of Ukraine failed to act and even assisted the participants of the blockade.

Later the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine officially supported the blockade, stopping the action of transit permissions for Russian carriers. But it was filed as a response to Russia’s actions, which since February 14 has stopped the movement of Ukrainian trucks on its territory, retaining only the transit through Kazakhstan. Now Ukrainian machines permitted in this area. Kiev began insolently to accuse Russia in that it started the conflict.